Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 October 2020
161. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the provisions in place to avoid persons who are on the housing list as joint applicants being penalised when as a result of relationship breakdown they have to reapply as single persons; and if there is a provision in place such that such persons are not treated as new applicants. [27944/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn order to qualify for social housing support and be placed on a housing list, an applicant household must be assessed by the local authority concerned as meeting all of the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended.
Regulation 16 of the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended, states that a household shall be deemed to be entered on a local authority’s record of qualified households (housing list) on the date that the local authority of application determines that the household is qualified for social housing support. Under the 2009 Act, a household is defined as a person living alone, or two or more persons, who in the opinion of the local authority concerned, have a reasonable requirement to live together.
Furthermore, under Regulation 26, where the local authority of application becomes aware of changes in household circumstances or of other information relevant to the social housing assessment carried out in respect of a qualified household, the authority shall:
(a) update its records of the assessment and qualified households accordingly,
and
(b) notify the housing authority for any other functional area to which the assessment relates of the update, which authority shall update its records of the assessment and qualified households accordingly.
The oversight and practical management of housing lists is a matter for the relevant local authority, in accordance with the 2009 Act and associated regulations. Specifically, section 63(3) of the Local Government Act 2001 provides that, subject to law, a local authority is independent in the performance of its functions.
Decisions on the qualification of specific persons for social housing support, the most appropriate form of any such support, and the allocation of that support are a matter solely for the local authority concerned.
